Q: I was recently turned on to powerlifting as a means to add more size - meaning that I am doing traditional movements in a routine that is just the major heavy lifts and getting a lot of gains. I was reading about the Westside Barbell clan to get a good understanding of their methods and they were talking about wide stance. They said that wide squat stance was superior for adding mass and development to the legs. Why is that? A: Well, Westside advocates wide squat because it uses more hip, glute and hamstring muscles, so from that standpoint, it not only allows you to get a better base of support and strength, it also builds those areas up along with the quads. Wide stance, we have found, does provide better results. Ball State ...

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Many bodybuilding articles are going to blow smoke up your can by telling you tales of how easy it is to change your currently pathetic thighs into the thickest hamhocks this side of Mustafa Muhammad. The reality is that many of these articles are designed to sell bodybuilding supplements and give hope to people who, unfortunately just aren’t destined to have thighs this large. Here are some questions to ask yourself which can help you to most accurately gauge your potential for making leg mass gains. How old are you? If you’re 45 years old, the sad reality is that barring a very heavy cycle of human growth hormone and insulin, the odds of you adding 5 to 6 inches to your thighs are remotely small. Train for cuts, or enjoy the small amounts of size you can ...

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Squatting is perhaps the most dangerous – and most effective – exercise that one can use in the gym. A fraction of an inch adjustment on chest, back, or other body part positioning can either make the exercise more productive and safer, or less productive and more dangerous. The choice is yours, as to which type of workout you prefer to enjoy. If your goal is to remain injury-free and make great gains in the gym, you should follow these positioning tips for safer squatting. Low back losing arch Don’t allow the lower back to use its arch, in any circumstance. Maintain your lower back arch throughout the entire movement. For beginning trainers, the inability to maintain this lower back arch could be a result of a lack of flexibility. If you have been squatting for ...

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When it comes to the bodybuilding solar system, there are only two planets. On the first, bodybuilders love to squat. On the other planet, there is no squatting. Bodybuilders often begin their journey on the non-squatting planet. Over time, as they learn about the benefits, they may visit the planet. However, many of them don’t like the place, and return to their home planet with their tails between their legs. The few that do stay will use squats regularly, and will grow as a result. You can always tell what planet a person is from based upon the look of their upper thighs through their spacesuit! That being said, there are both pluses and minuses to using squats on a regular basis. The good points At the very least, you’re going to add a few ...

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The squat is certainly the top bodybuilding movement if your goal is to add as much muscle to your frame as possible in a short period of time. However, while many people train their hardest, they often miss out on a great deal of opportunities to garner more success from their squatting. Here are a few techniques for improving your squat effectiveness. Stripping No, this section isn’t about how you can make money working in the evenings. Rather, it is a technique which can allow you to deliver a great deal of blood to the thighs. Begin by completing a standard set of squats – about ten repetitions. Once you’ve completed them, have your training partner immediately remove 20 to 40 pounds from the bar. After the 5 to 10 seconds this will take him, immediately ...

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Many powerlifters, and a few bodybuilders, believe the front squat is a very effective movement for adding mass to the front quadriceps. While it’s true that squats are an amazing movement for adding mass, it’s not always guaranteed that this movement can be completed safely and without incident. Trainers should be completely aware of the risks and pitfalls associated with this injury. Start light If you can back squat 385 pounds, you should start your front squats with 135 pounds. Yes, it may seem like a major drop-off, and you may doubt you’ll see any gains. However, the mechanics of this movement are unlike any other exercise. The weight sits on your deltoids and your back is taken out of the movement, for the most part. Your legs do the work, and your upper body framework has ...

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There has recently been a discussion in bodybuilding bulking circles about the necessity of training arms when in off-season mode. Some bodybuilders feel that this period should be devoted mainly to weight gain and compound movements, and that spending time on exercises such as one-arm isolation dumbbell curls really won’t lead to mass gains, the goal of the off-season lifter. Others believe that if you don’t train arms, you’re simply not a true bodybuilder. Let’s look at both sides of this argument, and see who’s closer to the truth. Don’t train arms when bulking Have you ever seen what happens when a powerlifter diets down for a bodybuilding show? He often outright crushes the competition due to the size of his chest, back, shoulders and legs. The primary movements of the powerlifter are the squat, deadlift, and bench ...

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In the early days of bodybuilding, trainers entered the gym on Monday morning and they trained for MASS.  Lots of compound sets, lots of heavy weights, and they trained the entire body.  They went to lunch and the gym afterwards, and then they took the next day off.  They returned Wednesday, then Friday, and they did it again!  Very popular in those days were the “Golden Six”, a group of six compound movements which essentially trained the whole body using mostly free weights, and lots of heavy weight.  Here is a sample workout using the Golden Six movements. Bench Press = 4 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions Squat = 4 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions Military Press = 3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions Deadlift = 3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions Barbell Curls = 3 sets of 6 to 10 repetitions ...

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When designing an effective bodybuilding weight lifting plan, care should be taken to ensure that you hit the Master 8 bodybuilding movements each week. If you do this, you will gain strength and size. You body will have not have a choice! Deadlift – The core mass builder. Done on back days, it adds pounds of muscle to your back and glutes. Always start back day with it. Squat – The granddaddy of them all! Squat first on leg day. Go heavy with a spotter. Break parallel on each squat, or don’t bother coming to the gym. SLDL – Stiff-Leg Deadlifts. They make the hamstrings pop and bring out lower back detail. Rows – Barbell or dumbbell rows should follow deadlifts on back day. They will make you thick. Bench Press – The standard staple of ...

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For as many bodybuilders as there are in the world, there's probably a split for each one. That means literally hundreds of combinations of splits that can lead you down the path to mass building or fat leaning success. There are 3 day splits, 4 day splits, 5, 6 and 7 day splits, and everything in between. We're going to list quite a few splits and examine how exercise combinations can affect outcome. Here is an array of 3 days splits. Look them over and then we'll tell you why we like 'em or not: SPLIT #1 Mon: Off Tue: Chest + Triceps + Forearms + Abs Wed: Back + Biceps + Traps + Forearms Thurs: Off/cardio Friday: Legs + Delts Sat: Off/cardio Sun: Off Why We Love It: This is a great way to break up the week. First off, we love the weekend off. This allows for ...

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